Eddowes Bowman (12 November 1810 – 1869), was a

dissenting tutor The dissenting academies were schools, colleges and seminaries (often institutions with aspects of all three) run by English Dissenters, that is, those who did not conform to the Church of England. They formed a significant part of England's ed ...

. Bowman was the eldest son of John Eddowes Bowman the elder and Elisabeth, his cousin, was born in

Nantwich Nantwich ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It has among the highest concentrations of listed buildings in England, with notably good examples of Tudor and Georgian architecture. ...

on 12 November 1810. He was educated chiefly at Hazelwood, near Birmingham, by

Thomas Wright Hill Thomas Wright Hill (24 April 1763 in Kidderminster – 13 June 1851 in Tottenham) was a mathematician and schoolmaster. He is credited as inventing the single transferable vote in 1819. His son, Rowland Hill, famous as the originator of the m ...

, father of

Sir Rowland Hill Sir Rowland Hill, KCB, FRS (3 December 1795 – 27 August 1879) was an English teacher, inventor and social reformer. He campaigned for a comprehensive reform of the postal system, based on the concept of Uniform Penny Post and his soluti ...

. The future postal reformer was his teacher in mathematics. From school he passed to the Eagle foundry, Birmingham, where he improved himself in mechanical engineering. In around 1835, he became sub-manager of the Varteg ironworks, near

Pontypool Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales. It has a population of 28,970. Location It is situated on the Afon Lwyd ri ...

. On the closing of the Varteg works in 1840, Bowman betook himself to study, graduated M.A. at

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, and attended lectures in Berlin, acquiring several modern languages and mastering various branches of physical science. In 1846, Francis W. Newman resigned the classical chair at the

Manchester New College Harris Manchester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It was founded in Warrington in 1757 as a college for Unitarian students and moved to Oxford in 1893. It became a full college of th ...

, having been elected to the chair of Latin at

University College, London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = � ...

. Bowman was immediately appointed his successor at Manchester as professor of classical literature and history, and he held that post till the removal of the college to

Gordon Square Gordon Square is a public park square in Bloomsbury, London, England. It is part of the Bedford Estate and was designed as one of a pair with the nearby Tavistock Square. It is owned by the University of London. History and buildings The sq ...

, London, as a purely theological institution, in 1853. To this removal he was strongly opposed. Remaining in Manchester, though possessed of a sufficient independence, he gratified his natural taste for teaching by engaging in the education of girls. For the study of astronomy he had built himself an excellent observatory. On optics and acoustics he delivered several courses of lectures at the

Royal Manchester Institution The Royal Manchester Institution (RMI) was an England, English learned society founded on 1 October 1823 at a public meeting held in the Exchange Room by Manchester merchants, local artists and others keen to dispel the image of Manchester as a ...

and elsewhere. From 1865, when the Owens scholarship was founded in connection with the Unitarian Home Missionary Board, he was one of the examiners. He was a man of undemonstrative disposition, of wise kindness, and of cultured philanthropy. He died, unmarried, at

Victoria Park, Manchester Victoria Park is a suburban area of Manchester, England. Victoria Park lies approximately two miles south of Manchester city centre, between Rusholme and Longsight. History and description In 1836, a unique enterprise was undertaken by Richa ...

, on 10 July 1869.

Selected publications

*''Arguments Against the Divine Authority of the Sabbath … Considered, and Shown to be Inconclusive'' (1842), 8vo. *''Some Remarks on the Proposed Removal of Manchester New College, and its Connection with University College, London'' (1848), 8vo. *''Replies to Articles Relating to Manchester New College and University College'' (1848), 8vo. Reprinted (2010), by Nabu Press. *''On the Roman Governors of Syria at the Time of the Birth of Christ'' (anonymous, but signed B.) (1855), 8vo. (an able and learned monograph, reprinted from the '' Christian Reformer'', October 1855, a magazine to which he was a frequent contributor).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowman, Eddowes 1810 births 1869 deaths English Dissenters People from Nantwich Alumni of the University of Glasgow People associated with Harris Manchester College, Oxford